One of the premier composers of the Romantic era, Tchaikovsky personified both the Russian spirit and European tradition. This season features multiple programs of his extensive orchestral oeuvre starting with Francesca da Rimini, a symphonic fantasy after Dante that captures passion and power. Variations on a Rococo Theme reveals another side of the composer: with poise and restraint, as well as beauty and elegance on the part of the cello solo. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.5 has long been praised for the heights and depths of emotional display—from sadness and despair to ultimate triumph—with awe-inspiring melodies and harmonies.